Cleaning device for fodder-shredders.



No. 736,501. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

4 G. E. CURTISS. CLEANING DEVICE FOR PODDER SHREDDERS.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12. 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-QHEET 1 Inventor No. 736,501. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

c. E. GURTISS. CLEANING DEVICE FOR FODDER SHREDDERS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.1Z. 1903.

H0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 736,501. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

- 0. E. GURTISS.

CLEANING DEVICE FOR FODDER SHREDDBRS.

APPLICATION rum) mm. 12. 1903. 1 no MODEL. 3 SHBETS-SHEET a UNrirn STATES Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFioE.

CHARLES E. CURTISS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL IIARVESTER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CLEANING DEVICE FOR FODDER-SHREDDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 736,501, dated August 18, 1903.

Original application filed June 28, 1902. Serial No. 113,602.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. CURTIss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning Devices for Fodder-Shredders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled o inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same. A

The invention relates more especially to that part of the fodder-shredder of my Patent No. 715,760, dated December 16, 1902,

[5 which is concerned with the shaking, separating, and screening of the material which passes through the perforated bottom of the shaker and goes thence into and through the fan-casing to the trunk of the pneumatic conveyer.

The particular features herein claimed were originally embraced in the application for the above patent, but were withdrawn therefrom in View of an oflicial requirement for a division of the application; and the present application is filed pursuant to notice given in the'former application at the time the claims on the present features were withdrawn. These features are illustrated in the accom- 0 panying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section of that part of a shredder to which the invention relates, showing also the receiving-end of the conveyor-trunk. Fig. 2 is a 5 plan view of the same on the line 2 2. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 3 3, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the means for securing adjustment of the screen which underlies the shaker.

Referring to the views, a a, &c., denote the framing of the shredder, which may be built up in any preferred manner. The shaker, with which all shredders of this type are provided and which forms the bottom of the 5 chamber wherein the fodder is out, has a flooring (1, usually of metal, a portionof which is perforated or slitted. Toothed bars 6 may be secured to this flooring and extend longitudinally, and the shaker is supported at the discharge end on rollers f and is upheld at Divided and this application filed March 12, 1903. Serial (No model.)

the opposite end by a pivoted post g, so as to be vibrated in the usual way. Underneath the shaker there are arranged two chutes h h, which incline downward in opposite directions toward an opening 1;, located about centrally of the length of the perforated part of the flooring, and the sides of both chutes are also preferably inclined toward the iongitudinal center of the machine, as illustrated in Fig. 3. These chutes are fastened to the under side of the shaker by cross-strips at their ends and of course move with the shaker as it is vibrated back and forth.

The machine is provided with two rotary fan= blowers having separate casings 3', one located 6 at each side under the discharge endof the shaker. These casings are closed on their outer sides, as shown at 7" in Fig. 2, and have the central openings 75, which form the eyes of the blowers on their inner sides. The fan in each of these blowers is located a little eccentric to its casing, the path of revolution of the outer edges of the vanes being nearer the upper edge of the mouth which forms a cutoff for the blast. Each casing has its mouth Z projecting tangentially from the lower side, and spanning the space between the casings and closing it completely at the rear side there is a shield m, which curves upward above the level of the eyes of the blowers, and

thence extends forward in a straight line inclining downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to leave the casing open at the front and form a chute n underneath the opening i be- I tween the oppositely-inclined chutes h 71-. At the sides of this forwardly-inclined chute there are preferably arranged side boards or curtains o, as shown in Fig. 1. v

Underneath the shaker, with its rearward end extending under and beyond the front 0 edge of the chute a, there is arranged ascreen p, which is considerably narrower than the shaker and'is approximately the width of the space betwen the blower-casin gs. This screen is connected at its front end by bars (1 to the 5 pivoted posts g, which serve to support the shaker and vibrate it, and at its rear end it is supported by links 0", that are pivoted at their lower ends on the cranked part of a shaft s, which is journaled in bearings i at op- IOO posite sides of the machine. The shaft s is provided with a crank-arm s at one end, by means of which it may be rocked to raise and lower the discharge end of the screen, and the arm 8" is provided with some convenient means for locking it-as, for example, a slotted strap u and thumb-screw i).

As will be understood on reference to Fig. 1, the chute 'n is stationary; but the shaker vibrates to and fro and carries the oppositelyinclined chutes h' h with it. The screen 9 also vibrates with the shaker, but has a shorter movement, and in the operation of the machine the shelled corn, dirt, and other heavier matter which passes through the perforated floor of the shaker falls through the opening 2' on the forward end of the stationary chute n. and thence passes off to the screen 19. When the shaker is in its forward position, the opening 2 is beyond the edge of the fixed chute and the falling material is directed onto the forwardpart of the screen 19; but on the return movement of the shaker the material is delivered onto the chute n and falls thence upon the forward part of the screen. In this manner all the shelled corn is made to travel the Whole length of the screen and is thoroughly cleaned.

The conveyer-trunk is shown at a in Figs. 1 and 2. It is enlarged at its receiving end, so as to take in the delivery-mouths Z of both blower-casings. As the conveyer forms no part of the present invention, it will not be described further than to say that the trunk is pivotally connected to the blower-casings at d and when in operative position stands about as represented in Fig. 1, with the discharge end of the shaker inclosed between its sides and the mouths Z of the blower-casings fitted into its front end, so that the upper part of this end of the hood forms a threatway through which the shredded fodder is delivered from the discharge end of the shaker. The trunk is so constructed and proportioned as to prevent back draft; but in order to further provide against anypossibility of this back draft a damper d is pivoted in the upper part of the hood and is provided with a screw-rod e and thumb-nut f for adjusting it, so as to contract or enlarge the throat. r

The coaction of the chutes h, h, and n, leading from the perforated part of the shakerfioor to the screen 10, has already been described, and,as will be understood, the shelled corn is discharged into a trough t", arranged transversely of and just below the edge of the screen, whence it is carried to any suitable point of delivery. The fine heavy dirt and trash passes through the screen 10; but there is a good deal ofchaff and other light stuff which it is desirable should be conducted away to the stack, and the adjustment of the discharge end of the screen nearer to or farther from the fixed chute n overhead pro- .vides for increasing or diminishing the effect of the draft entering the eyes of the blowers by narrowing or widening the passage-way through which it passes. To still further regulate this draft, there is pivoted to the lower part of the shield m a damper Z, which projects toward the discharge end of the screen and is made adjustable by a rod n and a set-screw o. It is to be noted in respect to this part of the machine that the chaff and light stuff coming from the shaker is delivered into the eyes of theblowers and through them into the trunk instead of passing directly from the screen into the open end of the trunk; also, that the arrangement of the damper Z, as above described, in connection with the described adjustment of the discharge end of the screen 1), provides a very sages, all as more fully described in my patent above referred to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-+ 1. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, the underlying chutes h, h, inclined in opposite directions toward an opening about centrally of the shaker, a forwardly and downwardly inclined chute under the opening, a rearwardly and downwardly inclined screen under the delivery end of the last-mentioned chute, a fan-casing having blowers at the sides and open at the front so as to receive chaff from the-screen into the center of the casing and admit it into the eyes of the blowers at their inner sides.

2. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chuten under the shaker, inclining downward and forward, and a shaking-screen under the forward end of the chute, inclining rearward and downward.

3. The combination of the shaker havinga perforated bottom, a fixed chute n under the shaker, inclining downward and forward, a screen under the forward end of the chute, inclining rearward and downward, a fan-casing open at the front and located so as to receive the chaff from the screen.

4. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chute 71. under the shaker, inclining forward and downward, a screen under the forward end of the chute, inclining rearward and downward, a fan-casing open at the front and located so as to re-- ceive the chaff from the screen, and a damper pivoted to the casing and extending toward the discharge end of the screen, said damper being adjustable so as to enlarge or diminish the passage for the material from the screen into the casing.

5. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chute under the shaker, inclining downward and forward, a screen under the discharge end of the chute, inclining rearward and downward, a fan-casing open at the front and located so as to receive the chaff from the screen, an adjustable damper pivoted to the casing and extending toward the discharge end of the screen, and means for adjusting said end of the screen vertically.

6. The combination of the screen 10, a fancasing open at the front and located so as to receive the chaff from the screen, an adjustable damper pivoted to the casing and extending toward the screen, and a trough 1" located between the screen and the damper to carry off the shelled corn.

7. The combination of the screen 1), the fan-casing, the shield m closing its rear side and extended forward so as to form a chute n and leave the front side of the casing open to receive the chaff from the screen, the damper Z pivoted to the lower side of the casing, and means for elevating and depressing the damper and the screen.

8. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chute under the shaker extending forwardly, a screen under the discharge end of the chute extending rearward, a fan-casing open toward the discharge end of the screen so as to receive the chaif therefrom, and means for adjusting the screen vertically toward and from the chute.

9. The combination of the shaker, the conveyer-trunk, the apron g secured to the discharge end of the shaker and resting in the trunk, and the damper d pivoted to the upper part of the trunk and adjustable to prevent back draft and increase or diminish the passage for the material from the shaker into the conveyer.

10. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chute n under the shaker, inclining downward and forward,- a shaking-screen under the forward end of the chute, inclining rearward and downward, and a fan-casing having blowers at the sides and open at the front, and located so as to receive chafi from the screen into the center of the casing and admit it into the eyes of the blowers.

11. The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chute 72 under the shaker, inclining forward and downward, a shaking-screen under the forward end of the chute, incliningrearward and downward,

a fan-casing having blowers at the sides and open at the front, and located so as to receive chaff from the screen into the center of i the casing and admit it into the eyes of the blowers, and a damper pivoted to the casing between the blowers and extending toward the discharge end of the screen, said damper being adjustable so as to enlarge or diminish the passage for the material from the screen into the casing.

12; The combination of the shaker having a perforated bottom, a fixed chute n under the shaker, inclining forward and downward, a shaking-screen under the forward end of the chute, inclining rearward and downward, a fan-casing having blowers at the sides and open at the front, and located so asto receive chaff from the screen into the center of the casing and admit it into the eyes of the blowers, a damper pivoted to the casing between the blowers and extending toward the discharge end of the screen, means for adjusting the damper so as to enlarge or diminish the passage for the material from the screen into the casing, and means for setting the discharge end of the screen nearer to or farther from the under side of the fixed chute.

13. The combination of the shaker, the conveyer-trunk having its receiving end inclosing the discharge end of the shaker, and the damper d pivoted to the upper, open end of the trunk, with its free end extending down toward the bottom of the trunk,said damper being adjustable toward or from the end of.

casing, the delivery end of the shaker projecting over the top of the casing between the blowers, and the mouths of the latter projecting into the lower part of the trunk at the sides.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. CURTISS. Witnesses:

CHAS. N. CHAMBERS, J. MUHLEMAN. 

